Who is this choice relevant to?

People looking for a strictly sugar-free option

For you, ‘less sugar’ isn’t enough. When choosing an advent calendar treat, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g, even if the front of the pack suggests otherwise.

People looking for a reduced-sugar topping

You want something festive to sprinkle over a rusk, yoghurt or small treat, but you don’t necessarily need to keep the shape and aniseed flavour of traditional aniseed sprinkles. Reduced-sugar chocolate sprinkles could be an alternative topping, provided the remaining sugar content suits your needs.

People filling their own advent calendar compartments

You decide what goes in each compartment and want to be able to check the ingredients, allergens and any sweetener warnings. Using a separate base and topping gives you that choice, but you’ll need to read both packs.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether ‘sugar-free’ is essential, or whether a sprinkle-on treat with less sugar would also work for you. Then weigh up the product format and the information on the label.

Sugar-free aniseed sprinkles

When: Only if you find a version whose label lists no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g, and whose shape and ingredients are suitable for your treat.

Trade-off: Regular pink and white De Ruijter Muisjes aren’t suitable: Jumbo lists 79 g of sugars per 100 g.

Reduced-sugar chocolate sprinkles

When: If a sprinkle-on topping matters more to you than the shape and aniseed flavour of traditional aniseed sprinkles.

Trade-off: ‘Less sugar’ doesn’t mean sugar-free. Albert Heijn lists 15 g of sugars per 100 g for Céréal Milk Chocolate Sprinkles with Less Sugar and 43 g per 100 g for AH Dark Chocolate Sprinkles with Less Sugar.

A sugar-free biscuit as a base

When: If you want to put together a small treat yourself and would find a biscuit more useful than sprinkles.

Trade-off: A biscuit won’t replace aniseed sprinkles as a topping. Albert Heijn lists sweeteners in AH Digestive 0% Sugar and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

What to consider What should you check? Who is this most important to?
Truly sugar-free Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g with the EU limit of no more than 0.5 g per 100 g for the claim ‘sugar-free’. If only a sugar-free treat will do, I don’t want to rely on ‘less sugar’ on the front of the pack. Around 42% of consumers put this strict requirement first.
A festive sprinkle-on topping Check the sugar content per 100 g and decide whether chocolate sprinkles suit your treat in terms of shape and use. My main priority is being able to sprinkle something over a small bite, and I’m happy to accept that chocolate sprinkles aren’t aniseed sprinkles. For around 33% of consumers, the need for a reduced-sugar topping matters most.
Ingredients for each compartment Read the ingredients, allergens and any warnings about polyols on the packaging. When I’m filling several compartments, I want to know what’s in each treat before putting the portions together. This is the main priority for around 25% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘less sugar’ means ‘sugar-free’

    A comparison with a standard product doesn’t mean the sugar content is below the ‘sugar-free’ threshold. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, this nutrition claim may only be used when a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml.

    For a strict choice, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutrition table and note whether it’s given per 100 g or per 100 ml.

  • Choosing regular aniseed sprinkles for their appearance

    PLUS describes De Ruijter Pink and White Muisjes as aniseed seeds with a sugar coating. Albert Heijn lists wheat in the ingredients, so they aren’t suitable if you need a sugar-free or wheat-free option.

    Read the ingredients for the version you choose if its composition matters. If you need a strictly sugar-free option, only choose a product whose nutritional information meets that requirement.

  • Overlooking sweetener warnings

    An alternative containing sweeteners may contain polyols. Albert Heijn warns that excessive consumption of AH Digestive 0% Sugar may have a laxative effect.

    Read the warning on the packaging if you’re dividing portions between several advent calendar compartments.

  • Relying only on an online product description

    Ingredients and nutritional information can change when a product is updated. This is particularly important if you’re choosing based on sugar content, allergens or sweeteners.

    Check the packaging of the product you’ve actually bought before using it.

Brands to consider

These brands illustrate different product formats for an advent calendar treat you put together yourself; their products aren’t directly interchangeable.

De Ruijter

Regular pink and white aniseed sprinkles offer the traditional shape and aniseed flavour.

  • PLUS describes the sprinkles as aniseed seeds with a sugar coating.
  • Jumbo lists 79 g of sugars per 100 g for this version; Albert Heijn lists wheat in the ingredients.

Céréal

The reduced-sugar milk chocolate sprinkles are an option for sprinkling, not a type of aniseed sprinkles.

  • Albert Heijn lists 15 g of sugars per 100 g for these chocolate sprinkles.
  • They aren’t sugar-free. Also check the packaging for milk, soya and warnings about excessive consumption.

Albert Heijn

For this choice, the own-brand range offers two different product formats: reduced-sugar chocolate sprinkles and a biscuit labelled 0% Sugar.

  • Albert Heijn lists 43 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Dark Chocolate Sprinkles with Less Sugar; AH Digestive 0% Sugar can be used as a biscuit base.
  • The chocolate sprinkles aren’t sugar-free, and the biscuit isn’t a sprinkle-on topping. For the biscuit, read the information about sweeteners and excessive consumption.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are regular De Ruijter Muisjes sugar-free?

No, De Ruijter Pink and White Muisjes don’t meet a strict sugar-free requirement. Jumbo lists 79 g of sugars per 100 g for the pink and white version; always check the label for any other version.

When can ‘sugar-free’ appear on packaging?

Under EU rules for the nutrition claim ‘sugar-free’, a food must contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. ‘Less sugar’ is a different claim, so check the nutrition table if that limit is decisive for your choice.

Can reduced-sugar chocolate sprinkles replace aniseed sprinkles?

Chocolate sprinkles can work as a topping, but they don’t have the shape or aniseed flavour of traditional aniseed sprinkles, and they aren’t automatically sugar-free. Albert Heijn lists 15 g of sugars per 100 g for Céréal Milk Chocolate Sprinkles with Less Sugar and 43 g per 100 g for AH Dark Chocolate Sprinkles with Less Sugar.

What should I look for in sweeteners in small treats?

Check the ingredients and any warnings on the packaging of every product you use. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says sweeteners are listed on the label; Albert Heijn warns that excessive consumption of AH Digestive 0% Sugar may have a laxative effect.

Which allergens should I check?

Read the allergen information on the packaging of the version you choose, especially if you’re combining different treats. Albert Heijn lists wheat in De Ruijter Pink and White Muisjes, and milk and soya in Céréal Milk Chocolate Sprinkles with Less Sugar.